Intrepid class
|service_period = 24th - 25th centuries|length = 344.5 meters|beam = 132.1 meters|draft = 64.4 meters|mass = 700,000 metric tons|decks = 15|crew_complement = 150 '' |speed = Warp 6 Warp 9.975 |armaments = 14 type-X phaser beam arrays 4 variable-payload torpedo launchers|defenses = Deflector shields|auxiliary_craft = 1 shuttle 4 shuttlecraft 2 Cargo Management Units|image1 = Intrepid class-0.jpg|image2 = Intrepid class patch by Thomas Morrone.png|caption2 = Emblem of the Intrepid Class Development Project|designation = Intrepid-class}} The Intrepid-class was type of long range science vessel that entered Starfleet service in 2370. History Technical information From stem to stern, the Intrepid-class was one of the most advanced starships in Starfleet during its time. First introduced in 2370, the Intrepid-class featured many unique innovations. The class employed a new warp core, variable geometry warp nacelles, and was the first to field both bio-neural gelpaks and the Emergency Medical Hologram system. Originally designed to counteract the subspace damage found to be occurring through the use of older warp drive technology, the new nacelle system also allowed the Intrepid to reach a sustainable speed just below Warp 10. The Intrepid-class was built sleek and long, and by the late 2370s it was third on the fastest top speed on record for a Starfleet vessel, falling behind the and the ground-breaking in field trials. The tilting, wing-like nacelles could shift microns in their positions, emitting minutely adjustable warp fields that were more efficient and safer when traveling in subspace. This, combined with new verterion manufacturing and the APD-01 Warp Core, made its propulsion systems highly advanced for its time. The Intrepid-class served multiple functions based on its load-out and size. A starship could be seen on patrol or escort duty as easily as long-range exploration or survey. State of the art computers gave it unprecedented storage capacity, access speed, and rigor conditioning. This, combined with a wide array of sensors covering a large amount of the exposed surface, made the Intrepid-class a premier ship of the line for Starfleet's scientific endeavors. Fast, agile, and well armed, these science vessels were among the more capable multi-role platforms when faced with combat situations. Advanced shielding and Type-X phaser arrays equipped admirably, with several representatives of the class serving during the Dominion War with amazing success. The prototype ship, the [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Intrepid_(NCC-74600) USS Intrepid], was the third starship to bear the name Intrepid. The [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Voyager USS Voyager] was a notable Intrepid-class starship due it greatly surpassing the class's original intentions. Aeroshuttle The Intrepid-class was equipped with a ventrally docked subordinate craft: the shuttle (generally known as an "aeroshuttle"). The craft was designed for atmospheric operations and short-term missions as a support vessel. Subclasses After Voyager's return from the Delta Quadrant, Starfleet Command realized the exceptional potential of the Intrepid-''class. Resources were devoted towards developing subclasses that the would build on that potential. ''Cochrane The first subclass of the Intrepid line was a rugged design named after the inventor Dr. Zefram Cochrane, although it was not the first craft to bear his name. The Cochrane-''class was designed so that it could be even more self sufficient outside of Federation borders than the standard ''Intrepid. The saucer was made longer, the hull shorter, and the nacelles were given a hefty upgrade; all contributing to the shorter length of the vessels at 336 meters. The subclass was launched in 2381."Long Range Science Vessel Family Tree," TTC Jayce's Navy Interstellar 244, no. 1 (Stardate 87086.07): 61. Discovery As the first Cochrane-class vessel left the shipyard, Starfleet starship designers had already begun to revisit the design of the Intrepid ''class. Engineers at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards eventually developed the ''Discovery subclass, which they intended to be just as capable as the original Intrepid and the Cochrane. Discovery ''starships sported a brand new nacelle design and highly experimental pylon fins, which aimed at creating a more efficient and stable flight during warp travel when nacelles were in the upward position. The length was also increased to 355 meters. The [https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Discovery USS ''Discovery], prototype of the subclass, was launched in 2384. Bellerophon The Bellerophon subclass was developed in a galaxy that had drastically changed in the few short years since the launch of the first Discovery starship. Combining the best of the standard Intrepid class and the two subclasses already in production, the Bellerophon class was designed to be a hearty, combat-ready, long range explorer. From fore to aft the class was 350 meters. The vessels entered service in 2394. Nadeon detonators also became standard equipment on Bellerophon starships. These detonators allowed standard torpedoes to be modified to generate a photonic shockwave upon impact. Pathfinder When planning first began for Operation Delta Rising, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers quickly realized that another update of the Intrepid ''class was in order. This led to the creation of the . Most of the advanced technology used in the ''Pathfinder subclass was first tested on the USS Voyager, which itself was completely updated before it departed for the Delta Quadrant. When Admiral Tuvok was satisfied with Voyager's performance with the upgrades, the class entered full production with the [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Pathfinder_(NCC-47656) USS Pathfinder] launching in 2409. Ships commissioned * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Bellerophon_(NCC-62048-A) USS Bellerophon] (NCC-62048-A), subclass prototype * [https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Cochrane USS Cochrane] (NX-95400), subclass prototype * [https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Discovery USS Discovery] (NCC-85527), subclass prototype * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Intrepid_(NCC-74600) USS Intrepid] (NCC-74600), class prototype * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Opaka_(NCC-91784) USS Opaka] (NCC-91784), Discovery-class * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Pathfinder_(NCC-74562-B) USS Pathfinder] (NCC-74562-B), Bellerophon-class * (NCC-74605) * [https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Sally_Ride USS Sally Ride] (NCC-74710) * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Voyager USS Voyager] (NCC-74656) Gallery Intrepid class MSD.jpg|Standard MSD of the [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Voyager USS Voyager] USS Voyager (Intrepid) MSD.jpg|Engineering MSD of the Voyager Aeroshuttle.jpg| shuttle of the Voyager Cochrane class.png|''Cochrane''-class Discovery class.png|''Discovery''-class Bellerophon class.jpg|''Bellerophon''-class Pathfinder class.png| Appendices Connections External links * Discovery class at the Star Trek Online Official Site (archived webpage) * "Starfleet's Four-Quadrant Strategy," TTC Jayce's Navy Interstellar 244, no. 1 (Stardate 87086.07): 58-61. References Category:Starship classes Category:Federation starship classes Category:Cochrane class starships Category:Discovery class starships Category:Bellerophon class starships